One of the biggest problems with putting slots into racetrack locations is what this would mean to the competition. Right now land- based gambling companies are not performing like they once did pre-recession. They know that they have the ability to work with customers, but customers are not as open to working with them right now. Customers are still hesitant about bringing their big-dollars into the market and wagering with them. Part of the recession’s aftermath was the depletion of nest eggs. Most people who used to wager have drastically diminished savings due to having to live off of them. There were so many people in the unemployment lines that they had to rely on their savings to pay bills and get through. This means that they have to worry about their financial problems with only savings to rely on for over eighteen-months. This left an entire market with little to no savings. This is why so many people are prioritizing rebuilding their savings now. They want to focus on saving money, and not wagering with it in big amounts. This is why people are wagering but in much smaller amounts right now. They are working with the games to make sure that they get the gambling fun they want, but in a much more limited amount. This is causing a lot of problems for the gambling market. Operators are trying to build up big promotions to spur in gamers, but it isn’t working quite like they had hoped. This means that they are fighting for every gambler they can get. If racetracks are allowed to bring in slots, it could seriously infringe on their own revenues. This is why casino operators are not in favor of allowing racetracks to offer the same games they offer.
Racetrack owners want their shot with the games though and are fighting hard for them. They are hoping to change everything and come up with a way to build up their own coffers. Bigger purses are key here to make sure that they are allowed to come into the market strong. This is up in the air right now though based on what it can mean for the entire market and not just racing. In coming months Illinois legislators are going to have to make a decision whether or not racetracks are allowed to host games, but they are likely going to make some type of compromise to keep everyone involved as happy as possible.
